Choi Jong-geon, Deputy Foreign Minister: "Distinguishing Between Jajupa and Dongmyeongpa Is a 20th Century Frame... Korea-Japan Relations Follow a Two-Track Policy"

Caution Against Dichotomous Thinking Again... "I Do Not Agree with the View That Autonomy Is Irrational and Alliances Are Realistic"
Will Communicate Soon with US Dialogue Partner Deputy Secretary Steven Biegun

Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, are meeting on the afternoon of the 31st at the Government Seoul Office Annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, greeting each other with an elbow bump. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] "The terms 'Jajupa' and 'Alliance faction' are 20th-century frameworks. While columns or papers I wrote during my professorship could be interpreted that way, such evaluations are not accurate."

Choi Jong-geon, the newly appointed First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, made this remark on the 31st during a meeting with reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in response to some assessments labeling him as a so-called 'Jajupa' figure. He emphasized, "Upon entering practical diplomacy, it is different from when I studied theory," adding, "Current pressing issues must be resolved as they are for substantive progress."

He also reiterated caution against dichotomous thinking, which he mentioned in his inaugural speech. Vice Minister Choi stated, "I do not agree with the framework that 'Jaju' is irrational and 'Alliance' is realistic."

Regarding prospects for Korea-Japan relations following the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will maintain its existing two-track policy. He also stressed that the Korean government has never held a stance that historical issues must be resolved first.

Vice Minister Choi said, "I think the stance on Korea-Japan relations is quite rational," and added, "The Ministry's policy is two-track. Historical issues should be left to history, and practical cooperation should proceed accordingly." He explained that mixing the two topics makes resolution difficult. He further noted, "As President Moon Jae-in said, we have always been able to meet and have been more proactive in negotiations."

Regarding the case of diplomat A, who is suspected of sexual harassment during his tenure in New Zealand, he explained, "Our role is to transparently and actively inspect internally and ensure this does not recur," adding, "The principles are clear."

On Korea-US relations for the resumption of North Korea denuclearization negotiations, he said he will soon create an opportunity for communication with his counterpart, Deputy Secretary Stephen Biegun.

He stated, "Coordination among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Peace Negotiation Headquarters on the Korean Peninsula, the Blue House National Security Office, the US National Security Council, and the US Department of State's Special Representative for North Korea is going very well," and added, "Since communication is ongoing behind the scenes, I expect the Korea-US working group to proceed with a sense of speed."

Earlier that afternoon, Vice Minister Choi had a 50-minute introductory meeting with Harry Harris, the US Ambassador to Korea. It was their first face-to-face meeting as diplomatic envoys in Korea. He said, "It was an introductory meeting and not a session to discuss current issues directly," and added, "I conveyed that the Korea-US alliance is important to us, that we should maintain the institutional strength of the alliance, and that we should communicate transparently."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.